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Another accident - 1st in 30+ years with another vehicle

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sundaymorningstaple
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Another accident - 1st in 30+ years with another vehicle

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Thu, 20 Mar 2014 4:53 pm

Exiting off the PIE heading east at 13:15 Saturday (peak hour) via exit 26B (Bukit Timah Road). Fifteen minutes on the off ramp. Finally reach the bottom and the next car to go. Behind me is a Comfort Taxi!!!! Finally, a break where a couple of considerate motorists actually left the Yellow Box empty while the traffic was stopped. So I proceeded to cross all four lanes to get into the right most lane so I could make a right turn to head the other way on Bukit Timah. As there was another car stopped in the Yellow Box I could not get all the way into the right lane (both front wheels in the lane and pointed straight down the road but not enough distance for the rest of the car to follow. So, there I am, stuck diagonally across the two right lanes.

So the taxi decided to shoot the gap between me and the right curb. (I am not moving at all as traffic hadn't moved at that point) When he finds that he is too close to the curb he turns in slightly. The caused him to catch the forward edge of my right wheel well/fender and headlight assembly with the rear edge of his left front wheel well (popping the headlight assembly out and forward) and causing some other damage to the bonnet (minor) and the right side of the wraparound bumper (reasonable minor). The problem is that I don't have in car camera's and I wasn't moving at all and he actually turned into me to avoid mounting the curb. No witnesses as nobody stopped to render assistance, but just drove around and gawked at the Ang Moh with a problem with a Taxi. Looking at the damage to his car, however, it is pretty obvious that I was stationary as he had around two feet of damage (from his wheel well to almost to the front door handle) where he continued before he stopped.

While I'm looking at around 600 in damage (this morning's estimate) and the fact that I'm not claiming from the insurance company as I don't want the owner's NCD to change, I've only lodged the required Accident Claim Report with only 3rd Party claim listed. (I was advised by the motor workshop that I should do that as if I put no claim, I'm admitting fault, whereas if I file only 3rd party I'm only indicating I won't be claiming for my car (with a $3500 deductible, doesn't make sense - one of the bad points about being old than 65!). Will be interesting to see how this one comes out. Sadly the photos don't tell the story unless you look at them from a forensics point of view. Otherwise, it looks like I drove into his left side at a 45 degree angle!

First accident with another vehicle in over 30 years and I wasn't even moving!
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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PNGMK
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Post by PNGMK » Thu, 20 Mar 2014 5:07 pm

That's terrible but pretty typical of the 'professional' taxi drivers in this country.

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Post by x9200 » Thu, 20 Mar 2014 5:49 pm

SMS, I know that this is probably some futile suggestion but there is a Shell station right opposite to that place. They should have cameras pointing in all possible direction. Not sure if they would agree to copy the footage.

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Post by Pal » Thu, 20 Mar 2014 6:26 pm

Sorry to hear that SMS, time to invest in a in-car camera.
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Post by Beeroclock » Thu, 20 Mar 2014 9:38 pm

Bummer.... As a new and infrequent driver recently here I already had several near misses around PIE exit ramps and where lanes merge suddenly, I'm very careful now if anywhere near the PIE. Hope you manage to resolve it smoothly. Btw twice there you qualified * with another vehicle * which makes me wonder how many accidents in past 30 years involving only your own vehicle ?! :wink:

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Thu, 20 Mar 2014 11:38 pm

Once. When my daughter was born. (30 years ago on the 14th). I was still used to driving on the opposite side of the road and after a bit of brew (massive understatement) with the mates celebrating the birth of my first born, on the way home I remember to move to the opposite of the road where the road splits into Kampong Java Road and Thompson Road at around 4:30 am but didn't remember in time so took out the front suspension when I straddled the point of the dividing curb point with the little sign show two arrows going in two different directions. Just me & the curb. But it totaled my old Cortina. :-(
Last edited by sundaymorningstaple on Thu, 20 Mar 2014 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Thu, 20 Mar 2014 11:43 pm

Pal, it's funny in a way. I had just been talking about that with my wife about two months ago, after getting the security camera for the house (so I could keep check on the mother in law). But because it wasn't my car, I also had a problem justifying the cost. But this would have probably saved the cost of the camera that's for sure! :x

I like the BlackVue cameras with the front & rear coverage. It would have been ideal.

x9200, you are right. I never though about asking the station if they had security cameras that might overlook that portion of the road. However, due to the fact that is was on the other side of the road, they would need a pretty good elevation to be able to see across three lanes of bumper to bumper traffic. Might give them a try as it can't hurt.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by taxico » Fri, 21 Mar 2014 10:55 am

a truck rear corner scraped against my wife's car a few weeks ago. we felt it wasn't her fault. i had always not wanted to install a dash cam - i gave in and bought two last week.

the way i see it... i can upload the red light offenders caught on video to the traffic police too.
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Post by Beeroclock » Fri, 21 Mar 2014 11:04 am

I would've thought this case is clearcut unless the taxi driver tries to lie and say he didn't hit you while stationary ? Do you really need the camera here

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Fri, 21 Mar 2014 11:58 am

Yeah, actually, the only real reason I would need the camera is to prove that he was behind me on the slip road from the PIE. With that little bit of evidence, then all the photos' make sense. Without it, only thing I have is forensic evidence of the pattern of the damage. Visual still photos look like I drove into him at a 45 degree angle if you don't take a look at the closeup photos.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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